With the academic year coming to a close, many high school seniors are starting to think about what they should do and bring for their first year at college. Freshman year can be so hectic, adjusting what dorm life can feel like a whole different world, and most students don’t know that simple tips can make the process much smoother.
Coordinate with roommates
I know it may seem scary, but being able to contact your future roommates and learning more about them is one of the most beneficial things you can do as an incoming freshman. Learn their schedules, routines and how they enjoy life before committing to living with them. On top of that, you should also coordinate with your future roommates who is bringing what the summer before you move in. This is very important because if you don’t, you’ll end up with one too many mini-fridges or not enough supplies. Find out who can bring what, who can afford what and when they are moving in to have a full understanding on what you’ll have day one.Â
Bring only the essentials
Wait until you’re in the dorm to buy all the extra supplies that you found on TikTok or Instagram. I know that having a steamer or gaming system sounds fun right away, but unless you’ve already coordinated with your roommates that you’re bring those specific supplies, buy them after you move in You don’t know what you’ll need until you get there. Sometimes you’ll find out that you can’t own a steamer in the dorm building that you are living in—or in GCU’s case, a toaster—and you’ll have spent all the money for nothing.Â
Introduce yourself to your neighbors and people in your building
Invite over for movie nights and game nights, even if they are not going to be your forever friends, because making memories is more important that figuring out who is going to be your bridesmaids. Being friendly and getting to know those around you can make your freshman year much more enjoyable overall because it teaches you more about yourself and how you have fun. Go dancing. Go to the events. Go scream off the top of the parking garage with a girl you just met in your 9AM class, just for the fun of it.Â
Check for any damage in your dorm and report to the RA’s
When you first move in, there may be problems with your dorm, and you could end up with a serious situation if you don’t get it fixed right away. Always deep clean your dorm when you first get there, and look for any cracks, damages or holes that may present themselves as problems in the future. If you even think it could be a problem, report to your RA (or whoever is in charge of your dorm floor).Â
Get renters’ insurance
Make sure you have whatever renters’ insurance that your college provides, to prevent any freak accidents from destroying your belongings. This may sound like a waste of money, but I promise you, when those freak accidents happen, you’ll wish you would’ve had the insurance. GCU partners with Grad Guard and you can sign up for automatic payments in the housing portal, and roommates can be added to your policy to cover any shared belongings. For example, if by chance your future roommate decides to make ramen in the middle of the night after coming home from dancing with her friends and forgets to put water in the bowl before putting it in the microwave, you may end up with an accident that could destroy your belongings. Say the microwave catches fire and your laptop was sitting on the counter next to the microwave, and is now engulfed in flames, that sucks. But what sucks more is that you wished you would’ve had renters’ insurance to cover the cost of your laptop. Now you have to ask your parents for money to get a new laptop. How sad. This whole situation this could be covered with renters’ insurance, so I suggest you get it… just in case, because you never know what’s going to happen.Â